UND announces site for new Medical School and Health Sciences BuildingPosted on 7/18/2013

University of North Dakota President Robert Kelley has announced that a site has been selected for the new home of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The location is an 8.25-acre plot of land on the Southwest corner of the intersection of North Columbia Road and Gateway Drive in Grand Forks.

Several potential sites on the UND campus were considered and evaluated, based on factors such as parking availability, pedestrian access, size of buildable area, proximity to steam/gas sources, etc. A public forum about the building project was held in June, and public input was invited. The planning process for the new building is a continuation of the space study funded by the 62nd Legislative Assembly and completed during the past biennium. Funding for the new building was appropriated by the 63rd Legislative Assembly.

Noted President Kelley, "The selection of a building site is a critical milestone in the construction of our new School of Medicine and Health Sciences facility and, ultimately, our ability to better serve the State of North Dakota. Many people were involved in this process, and I particularly want to thank the Site Recommendation Committee charged with evaluating building site options and providing recommendations."

Members of the Site Recommendation Committee include:

Joshua Wynne, M.D., UND vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Chair)

- Alice Brekke, UND vice president for finance and operations- Randy Eken, associate dean for administration and finance of the school of medicine and health sciences- Brad Gengler, city planner, city of Grand Forks- Lonnie Laffen, president and CEO, JLG Architects- Peggy Lucke, UND associate vice president for finance and operations

Noted Dr. Wynne, "This facility is the critical component in the SMHS's Health Care Workforce Initiative, a plan to help address North Dakota's health care workforce needs now and in the future by reducing disease burden, retaining more of the school's graduates for practice in North Dakota, training more practitioners, and improving the efficiency of the state's health care delivery system."

Groundbreaking for the new facility is expected to take place in July of 2014, with completion of construction anticipated by July 2016.

The School of Medicine and Health Sciences building plans currently include units on the current Grand Forks campus, including Occupational Therapy and Sports Medicine (located in the Hyslop Sports Center).